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Alberta Wildfires

Emergency Information: Albertans can call toll-free 310-4455 to access current information about the wildfire situation such as Red Cross information, highway closures, phone numbers, and what websites to visit for more information. Those looking for friends or family displaced by the Slave Lake fires can try the Emergency Information Reunification Line: (780) 523-3388. To report a Wildfire, call 310-FIRE (3473) toll free, from anywhere in Alberta. Banner photo credit: Caezer Ng, The Lakeside Leader.

Mayor Karina Pillay-Kinnee is promising anxious evacuees that they will get twice-a-day updates on the rebuilding process and that members of the Slave Lake council will visit evacuation centres in Athabasca, Westlock and Edmonton.

A plan is being developed to let residents back into the scorched town for a quick check on their properties.

But Pillay-Kinnee warns that it may be two weeks before people are allowed to return to their homes.

Two highways in the Slave Lake area are open to traffic once again; however, there is still no access to services in the Town of Slave Lake itself.

The highways are:

The Old Smith Highway from Smith to Tollenaar Bridge. Supplies and services will be available only in Athabasca, Westlock or Smith. Highway 754, west of Highway 88 to Marten Beach. Residents returning home are urged to access supplies and services in Wabasca, as Highway 88 to Slave Lake remains closed.

by Ryan Ellis5/18/2011 3:31:53 PM

"The fire is apparently North of Half Moon Lake, last moving in a north-western direction. Firefighter informed the spectators many of the homes in the area are on evacuation standby. The smoke is not visible where I am which is North east of the hamlet of Newbrook." Photo courtesy Hanna Prymych of Thorhild.

by Ryan Ellis5/18/2011 3:41:47 PM

Latest evacuation update from province: In addition to the evacuation of Slave Lake, there are mandatory evacuation orders in place for Loon Lake, Red Earth Creek, and parts of the Municipal District of Lesser Slave River including Wagner, Widewater, Canyon Creek, Assineau, and the Poplar Lane Subdivision east of Slave Lake. The Municipal District of Northern Sunrise has issued evacuation advisories for Little Buffalo and Martin Lake.

by Ryan Ellis5/18/2011 3:45:19 PM

To encourage donations to residents displaced by the Slave Lake wildfires, throughout the week Edmonton's Western Varieties Wholesale (10027 63 Ave.) is opening its doors to the public and giving 10% off wholesale prices. Ask for Desmond.

by Ryan Ellis5/18/2011 3:57:44 PM

Please update on the evacuation of Gift Lake, AB. The residents have been evacuated since Saturday with potential poisonous gas leaks from the nearby oil rigs that have been engulfed by fire. There has been no mention of Gift Lake on the news at all and currently there is no power as the power building has burnt down. They are only using a generator for now.

by erica cunningham5/18/2011 3:58:24 PM

High Praire can use some donations, over 1200 evacuees from the Back Lakes are registered in that community. Wagner, Widewater, Canyon Creek were evacuated before Slave Lake. They all need information as well

by Don L5/18/2011 3:58:55 PM

Do we know how the mayor is going to be giving out twice a day updates? Online? at the evac centre? Alot of people staying with friends and family who are out of the loop I think...

by SlaveLakegirl5/18/2011 3:58:57 PM

Minister of Finance Lloyd Snelgrove on help for Slave Lake fire victims: "We're looking at how to get funds to people who have been left with nothing. We're obviously looking at where we need to put our resources. We just have to get the right money to the right place and to the right people."

by Ryan Ellis5/18/2011 4:40:41 PM

We were evacuated from Canyon Creek to Slave Lake by RCMP. Upon arriving in Slave we did what was required of us and registered with the fire centre. We then found our own place of refuge, that being behind my wife's work. When smoke started to roll into town I made a call to the number provided to us. They told us to stay where we were and that they were evaluating the situation and to listen to the radio for updates. At this time I told them that the radio had been off the air for an hour, a fact that they were not aware of. Red flag #2. I then quickly packed my family up again to get out of the area just in time to watch the area be totally engulfed in smoke. I headed to the only place that I believed would be out of the smoke, that being the area by Wal Mart. Up to that point, some 36 hours from the start of the original fire in Mitsue(8km east of Slave Lake) no one of the people in charge, Town, MD,fire department,SRD,RCMP,any government had made a statement on the radio about the situation in the area. This left people up to their own abilities to find out information. Facebook, text messaging become the life line of those caught in the middle of two horrific situations. Panic was setting into some people but a quiet calm still remained. People then started to head west on the highways in mass believing that the way out was that direction, the direction we had originally come from( red flag #3) they then were turned around a headed back into Slave Lake and gathered again in the Walmart area, this happening while the town come under the assault of the out of control fire. We then heard through the social media that the way out was to the east. The only way everyone got out was the messages from friend to friend that were passed around at a rate faster than the fire was burning. With still no contact from authorities of any type. I am not saying that the fire workers were not trying their hardest for I seen that first hand...what I am saying is who was in charge and making the decisions that affected the lives and well being of that many people. Thanks to the social networks so many people did get out. A note to add the place where my family took refuge burned 20 minutes after we were told to stay where we were.

As a precautionary measure, Syncrude is evacuating non-essential employees and contractors from Aurora mine site effective this morning: www.syncrude.ca

by Ryan Ellis5/18/2011 6:46:19 PM

Where is reports of any communities west of Slave Lake like Wagner, Widewater, Canyon Creek, Assineau ??????????????

by E5/18/2011 6:51:14 PM

sorry... that should have read ... would NOT turn down donations like other centers

by Albfirewolf5/18/2011 6:51:22 PM

any pics/videos of poplar lane subdivision?

by folclor5/18/2011 7:06:02 PM

@folclor The only pictures or video we have are posted on this live blog. Unfortunately we can't provide anything more in depth at this time.

by Karyn Mulcahy5/18/2011 7:15:16 PM

From Global viewer Art Szabo (via Facebook): This Sunday Starlite Room is doing a fundraiser for Slave Lake feat Tupelo Honey and guests. 100% of door and $1 from every drink sold goes to Red Cross. We are also accepting cash donations. Please help spread the word. You can contact me at art@starliteroom.ca or 780-966-6166 for more details etc www.facebook.com

by Ryan Ellis5/18/2011 7:16:59 PM

I AM SITTING LISTENING TO STORIES FROM NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS. WE MUST THANK ALL THOSE VOLUNTERS AND PEOPLE WHO WORKED THIS EVENT AND TRIED TO HELP. MY FAMILY LEFT WITHOUT BEING TOLD BECAUSE MY FAMILY WAS SAFE AND WE SAW THE SMOKE EARLY AFTERNOON. WE DID NOT WAIT TO BE TOLD AS WE WENT INTO SURVIVAL MODE. I AM NOT ANGRY I WASNT TOLD TO LEAVE BECAUSE AS AN ADULT WITH A FAMILY I TOOK THE RESPONSIBILITY TO GET OUT ON MY OWN. IT IS HARD WITH ALL THE EMOTIONS WE ARE GOING THROUGH BUT IF YOU ARE SITTING WITH YOUR FAMILY NOW REMEMBER THAT IS REALLY ALL THAT MATTERS. TRY TO PUT AWAY YOUR FRUSTRATION AND ANGER AND LOOK AT THE POSITIVES. THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN WITH THE TOOLS THEY HAVE. WILDFIRES ARE UNPREDICTABLE AND THE SEVERITY CHANGED IN A MOMENT. THAT WHAT HAPPENS WITH WILDFIRES. I ASK ALL MY FRIENDS, FAMILIES AND NEIGHBORS TO STAY OFF BACK ROADS ADN DRIVING TO SITES WHERE THERE IS BLOCKADES SO THEY CAN GET US BACK ON OUR FEET AND NOT WASTE MANPOWER ANSWERING THE SAME QUESTIONS THERE ARE NO ANSEWERS TOO. WAITING IS THE WORST THING TO DO BUT THE WAIT WILL BE LESS IF YOU LET THE WORKERS DO THEIR JOBS INSTEAD OF TRYING TO POLICE PEOPLE WANTING TO RETURN TO SLAVE LAKE.

by HAPPY TO BE SOMEWHERE5/18/2011 8:18:07 PM

@Global Edmonton Thanks a lot. I'll stay tuned, then.

by folclor5/18/2011 8:18:11 PM

Wondering how the people in Whitefish, Gift Lake and Little Buffalo are coping with their evacuation, where did they go, what help are they receiving, how bad is the fire near their homes, are their communities threatened by the fire? What about Widewater, Wagner and Canyon Creek??

by Ida5/18/2011 8:18:17 PM

There are lots of people whoi live out in Canyon Creek, Widewater and Wagner. WHY is there not an update on the situation out there???

by Heather5/18/2011 8:18:19 PM

THINGS IN SLAVE LAKE WERE NOT EASY. MY FAMILY LEFT ON OUR OWN ACCORD TWO OCLOCK SUNDAY AFTERNOON. I TAKE MY HATS OF TO ALL THE EMERGENCY WORKERS THAT TRIED TO HELP PEOPLE GET OUT SAFELY. HOWEVER OUR OWN INSTINCT MUST COME INTO PLAY. WHEN THERE IS A WILDFIRE THINGS CHANGE IN SECONDS. WHEN WE SAW THE SMOKE BILLOWING IN TO OUR COMMUNITY AT TWO OCLOCK WE CHOSE TO LEAVE THEN. WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER THAT VOLUNTERS AND EMERGENCY WORKERS CAN ONLY DO SO MUCH AND BY STICKING AROUND WE MAKE THEIR JOBS HARDER SO WE SHOULD TRY TO SIT TIGHT AND WAIT TO BE UPDATED. WE CAN NOT CHANGE THINGS NOW. BY DRIVING TO THE SITES AND ASKING FOR MORE INFORMATION WE ARE INTERFERING WITH THEM HELPING GET SLAVE LAKE BACK ON ITS FEET BY HOOKING UP GAS, POWER, PHONES ETC AND INSTEAD THEIR MANPOWER IS BEING USED TO KEEP PEOPLE AWAY. PLEASE LET THEM DO THEIR JOBS. WAITING SUCKS BUT IF YOU ARE WAITING YOU ARE ALIVE AND HEALTHY.

by CONCERNED MAMA5/18/2011 8:18:28 PM

Raw ground video from the town of Slave Lake shows some of the homes that are still standing, and some of the homes that ar not.

by Karyn Mulcahy5/18/2011 9:12:53 PM

Not safe for Slave Lake residents to return: RCMP

Residents of Slave Lake, Alberta, are getting antsier by the day as they wait to find out whether their homes are still standing.

I like so many others want to know whats going to happen to all the people that did not have renters insurance in Slave Lake that were in an apartment or a house and have lost everything where do we go for help

by Calvin W5/19/2011 3:23:05 PM

From Global reporter Vinesh Pratap: "Fire retardent on the highway to Slave Lake. Notice the covered sign to the top left - points to Lesser Slave regional visitor information centre."